Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-12
WIN ATTHn WHITE HOUSE.
Mrs. Cleveland Takes Cold Water
and Wins Praises.
n. ., "a Nelo York Ttbune.


Fy n, the Neto York Tribune.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-At the dinner
xiven by the President and Mrs. Cleve-
Hand to the Diplomatic Corps on Thurs
nav evening, forty out of the fortyone
&nlates were marked by glasses for seven
Ewines. At Mrs. Cleveland's plate there
were a goblet OF ice water and glass for
AnolIinaris. This silent expression in
flavor of temperance by the mistress of the
EWhite House ought TO satisfy the
etrongest advocates of total abstinence
oven in the Women's Christian Temper
lance Union. There has been some
curiositv and a good deal of honest in
H terest to know what the Presidents
kVoung wife would do IN this regard wren
Fthe ordeal of the Diplomatic dinner
presented Itself. IL has been
known that among her friends
Mrs Cleveland never touched
wine, and it has been quietly whispered
that she would have the courage TO de-
cline it on official occasions. Early in
The autumn the wife OF Secretary Whit
ney gave a luncheon in honor of the
Presidents wife. Soon after, certain
n resolutions, said to have been adopted by
4 the Temperance Union. were published
in some of the newspapers. Iney we Q
IN effect 8 request that the Presidents
of temperance by frowning down the use
Il of wines at social entertainments given
by official people. She was called upon
to be an example. Referring to this ii
few DAYS after, when talking with Yisi-
tor, Mrs. Cleveland said: sit seems in
credible that these resolutions should be
genuine. They know how feel about it,
and need no words from me to prove that
/ am in favor of temperance. Miss
Frances E. Willard is a dear personal
friend of mine, and she knows so well
what my feelings are on the temperance
question:
~ The first dinner at which Mrs. Cleve-
land presided as hostess was given two
weeks ago to the Cabinet. The absence
OF wine glasses from her plate then was
less observed, as it was well known TO
most of the guests that she drank no wine.
1t was perhaps an easy thing to drink
cold water when the guests were personal
friends, and not TO drink wine was no test
of moral courage. Mrs. Hayes, it will be
remem bered, included her diplomatic
guests when she drank water and gave
them no wine. OF course 1t caused
Otfense. Diplomats who have all their
lives drank wine at home have no notion
OF drinking ice water when invited out.
Mrs. Cleveland has made no mistake if
indeed she has not protited by Mrs.
Hayes error. The President gave
Ieven wines to the diplomats and had the
seven himself. But Mrs. Cleveland, just
across the table, "drank her cold water
bravely and sweetly, and looked too love-
ly for anything" as one of the guests said
The next day. ''There were wine glasses
10 the right of her and wine glasses to the
iett of her," said another guest, "the Hay
tian Minister with seven on her right and
Secretary Bayard with seven on her left,
bIlr still she did faIfnr ~ Ian ThinU
but with approval in his voice. 1t would
seem that Mrs. Cleveland's courage to
take what she felt to be the right step at
tne beginning was very generally admired
byathe hQreITn guests. 1t was so SIMPLY
and gracefully done, and so naturally, that
Niue observed 1t nevertheless created no
surprise. 1t seemed to belong to her as a
woman who has from time to time proved
herself strong character. The Women's
Temperance Union can have no further
doubts and could ask for no more practi-
than that which the pretty mistress
of the White House gave
at her first diplomatic dinner.
There was no halfway action, not even
the form of glasses at her plate. But the
plain, openly acknowledged admission
that if all the world drank wine she alone
would drink cold water.
There is much wine and punch drink
ing in Washington. But there are plenty
OF women in official life who will rejoice
at the step taken by the Presidents
vile. A Senator's wife said a week ago:
81 want to give dinner parties and re-
ceptions. want 10 entertain my friends.
We can afford 1t and we would like it.
But my husband ard ! are opposed to
wines, and | have not the courage to en-
terrain without them"